Chapter 56: Homecoming
Foxy firmly declared to everyone that she would bury FatherMother in the depths of this forest. Despite the countless pits and ravines scattered across the land, she was convinced that the spot where she buried them remained intact.
Now, she had begun digging.
With the strength of a Demon Fox, unimpeded by the influence of Hunger, she could dig swiftly even with her bare hands. Soft earth was continuously tossed out of the pit, while Yu Sheng and Irene stood quietly nearby, observing the scene. A short distance away, Li Lin and his two companions, though initially confused, were gradually piecing together an understanding of the situation.
Sitting on Yu Sheng’s shoulder, Irene watched Foxy burrow deeper and couldn’t help but speak up again.
“Um… Maybe we should come back later. It’s been a while already, and there’s a chance that the Hunger Entity might reappear. If it does, we’ll have to fight it all over again…”
“It won’t happen,” Foxy replied from the pit, lifting her head. “I can sense it… when it’s about to appear. I’ve been here for many years. It’s not here. Maybe… over there.”
With that, the Demon Fox Maiden crawled out of the pit, took a moment to reassess the surroundings, and then moved to a new spot nearby to continue digging.
Irene opened her mouth, seemingly wanting to say something else, but Yu Sheng gently patted her arm.
“Let her dig,” he said softly. “If she doesn’t find it, she’ll always be trapped here, even if she leaves.”
Irene pressed her lips together, her voice echoing in Yu Sheng’s mind.
[I’m not worried about what she might dig up… I’m afraid she won’t find anything at all.]
[I know,] Yu Sheng responded the same way.
[Then why…]
[Because I believe she will find it.]
Irene remained silent for a moment.
[But you’ve seen her mental state before… When the ‘Hunger’ influence was at its worst, she could barely think coherently. And considering the visions from the deepest part of the dream…]
Yu Sheng just shook his head.
He then approached Foxy, who was still furiously digging.
“Need any help?” he offered.
Without pausing or slowing down, Foxy stubbornly shook her head.
“No. I… dig myself. It’s here. I saw it before… the cloth I buried… just a bit deeper.”
Yu Sheng nodded and took a couple of steps back.
“Alright. I’ll wait here for you.”
He stepped back with Irene, moving to a place where the bottom of the pit was no longer visible, and waited patiently for the Demon Fox Maiden to finish what she needed to do.
Time passed slowly—Yu Sheng couldn’t tell how long he’d been waiting. Though calm and composed, he felt that every second stretched into eternity. He wanted to check on Foxy’s progress but felt as if his legs had fused with the ground beneath him. He wasn’t sure whether Irene felt the same way, but he could sense that the little doll on his shoulder had been tense for quite some time.
“When we get back, I’ll fix your body first,” Yu Sheng broke the silence, trying to ease Irene’s mind.
“Good… yeah,” Irene replied absentmindedly.
“But we might be short on clay at home. I’ll probably have to use some flour… You don’t mind, do you?”
“I don’t mind.”
“How about using two sections of lotus root?”
“I don’t mind.”
“You sure? I said two sections of lotus root.”
“I don’t… Wait, no! I mind!”
Realizing she’d been tricked, Irene glared at Yu Sheng with a self-proclaimed fierce expression. At that moment, she noticed the digging sound had ceased.
The pit fell silent—no more earth was thrown out, and no sound came from Foxy.
Startled, Irene exchanged a glance with Yu Sheng.
“Oh no! What if it’s empty down there?”
Yu Sheng said nothing but immediately rushed to the pit.
There he saw Foxy.
The Demon Fox Maiden lay curled at the bottom of the pit, holding two of her fluffy tails in her arms while the rest wrapped around her like a quilt. Beside her lay two sets of neatly arranged skeletal remains.
She remained nestled between the skeletons, breathing softly, like a young beast slumbering at its mother’s side.
Yu Sheng exhaled deeply and sat down on a piece of broken rock at the edge of the pit. Irene also relaxed, sprawling on top of Yu Sheng’s head.
After a few minutes, Foxy slowly rose from the bottom of the pit. She glanced at the bones beside her and then looked up at Yu Sheng, her face gradually breaking into a gentle smile.
Yu Sheng looked back at her.
“Ready to go?”
“Mm. Let’s go.”
The Demon-Fox Maiden lay curled at the bottom of the pit, her body bent, cradling two of her fluffy tails while the rest wrapped around her like a soft quilt. Beside her lay two neat skeletons, perfectly preserved. Nestled between the remains, her small form rose and fell gently, reminiscent of a young beast sleeping at its mother’s side.
Yu Sheng sighed, settling down on the scattered stones near the pit’s edge. Irene, too, let out a breath before sprawling lazily atop Yu Sheng’s head.
A few minutes passed before the Fox Maiden slowly rose from the bottom of the pit. She glanced at the two skeletal remains beside her, then looked up at Yu Sheng, seated at the top, and a faint smile surfaced on her face.
Yu Sheng met her gaze and asked, “Ready to go?”
“Yes, let’s go.” The Demon Fox nodded, then bent down and carefully snapped off a sharp, non-human canine tooth from each of the two skeletons. Clutching the teeth tightly, she walked toward him.
Reaching out a hand to the pit, Yu Sheng grasped her arm and pulled her out with ease.
“Are just those enough?” Irene asked, curious, eyeing the two teeth tightly held in Foxy’s hand. “What about the rest?”
Foxy shook her head gently. “Just the teeth. Father and Mother said… when a Fox’s teeth return home, it means they have returned home.”
“Got it.” Yu Sheng nodded. He raised his hand, preparing to open a Door back to the living world. However, just as he was about to do so, Foxy tugged on his sleeve.
“Benefactor, wait… there’s still…”
Before she could finish, Yu Sheng smacked his forehead as if suddenly remembering. “Ah, right, I almost forgot! Hold on a second.” Without further explanation, he opened another Door and slipped inside, leaving Li Lin and his two companions staring in bewilderment.
It wasn’t long—barely ten seconds—before another Door appeared in the same spot. Yu Sheng emerged, carrying Irene on his shoulder and holding a somewhat battered plastic bag in his hand.
“Some of the food got spoiled by those monsters. I brought back everything still sealed and intact,” he explained.
Foxy’s smile widened, and she quickly took the plastic bag, carefully counting the contents twice before relaxing, visibly relieved.
“Alright, nothing left behind this time. Let’s head home.” Yu Sheng chuckled, raising his hand to pull at the air, causing a grand Door to materialize. It opened, revealing the familiar interior of Wutong Road No. 66’s living room, a welcoming sight. “Li Lin, you three, hurry up. Let’s go back together.”
“Oh… oh, right!” Li Lin answered hastily, hurrying over with Little Red Riding Hood. Xu Jiali followed behind, her expression hesitant, glancing uneasily at the mysterious Door that had just appeared.
Once they stepped through, the chilly wind from Hunger Valley vanished, replaced by the comforting warmth of the home. Yu Sheng took a few deep breaths, feeling strangely at peace. Unconsciously, he had come to see this place as a real home.
The Fox Maiden widened her eyes in amazement, looking around the peculiar yet homely place. Having lived in that desolate valley for countless years, she was unaccustomed to a proper shelter with an intact roof and bright lights. After a long pause, she cautiously placed the bag of food on the floor, sitting beside it like a small animal guarding its precious hoard, occasionally sneaking curious glances around or keeping track of Yu Sheng’s movements.
Li Lin, Xu Jiali, and Little Red Riding Hood shared the same cautious curiosity, peering through the window to verify their location. Judging from the angle of the view, even Li Lin, a seasoned Special Affairs Bureau Operative, couldn’t accurately determine which house on Wutong Road they were in.
At the same time, a faint unease stirred within them—Spiritual Intuition whispering warnings that this place was not the ordinary, secure world but still held some level of anomaly.
The trio exchanged glances, their eyes reflecting mutual concern and contemplation. This place was… not quite right.
Yet, openly pulling out a depth gauge to measure the environment seemed unwise. The man named Yu Sheng appeared kind enough, but witnessing how effortlessly he vanquished the Hunger Entity and traveled between the Otherworld and reality made it clear—this man was immensely powerful and undeniably dangerous.
Provoking such a figure would be foolish. If he got angry, none of them would likely leave here alive.
After a long, tense silence, Li Lin finally spoke up. “Is this… your home?”
“Yeah,” Yu Sheng replied casually, “find a spot to sit. I’ll grab some water. Sorry, I wasn’t expecting guests, so I’m not really prepared.”
“No need to trouble yourself,” Li Lin waved his hand, his heart pounding faster as Yu Sheng’s relaxed demeanor somehow made him more nervous. After all, the horrifying scene of the Hunger Entity devouring itself was still fresh in his mind. “We’ll be leaving soon, really…”
Pausing, he cautiously added, “By the way, where exactly are we? Is this still Boundary City?”
“Of course it is,” Yu Sheng said matter-of-factly. “Just look outside—it’s Wutong Road. Weren’t you guys keeping an eye on me here?”
Cold sweat broke out on Li Lin’s forehead. “That… don’t take it the wrong way. We weren’t fully aware of the situation…”
“No problem,” Yu Sheng shrugged, genuinely indifferent. “Actually, I’ve been looking for you guys, but I could never find you.”
Li Lin and Xu Jiali froze, blurting out in unison, “Huh?”
“You mean them, right?” Little Red Riding Hood interjected, pointing at Xu Jiali and Li Lin. “I’m just a temp worker…”
“No, I mean all of you—people like you, the ‘professionals.’” Yu Sheng’s expression turned serious as he addressed them.